


"Like a Glove" - Oneshot

by WritingWithADinosaur



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Anxiety, Dermatillomania, F/M, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-22 08:39:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17056499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritingWithADinosaur/pseuds/WritingWithADinosaur
Summary: Reader picks skin a lot when stressed, anxious, overwhelmed, et cetera. She wears gloves to help her not pick as much. But when her gloves get damaged during a mission, she isn’t sure what to do. Bucky to the rescue.





	"Like a Glove" - Oneshot

**Author's Note:**

> Bucky Barnes x Reader
> 
> Brother! Tony Stark x Reader
> 
> Key: Y/N = Your Name, L/N = Your Last Name, H/C = Your Hair Color, E/C = Your Eye Color
> 
> Warnings: Skin Picking (Dermatillomania), Anxiety, Cursing, Slight Mention of Blood

You had a problem. You pick the skin around your nails and along your fingers. It had been something you’d done since you were younger. Your brother, Tony, noticed it was usually when you were in overwhelming or stressful situations. You lived with him and the other Avengers in the tower. Now being good enough to actually join them on mission and be an integral part of the team. Even being in a better position in your life, you couldn’t stop the skin picking. So, being the good older brother Tony was, he crafted a gift for you.

You came into the kitchen one morning to see him pouring two cups of coffee. He handed one to you and sat you down before turning around to grab a small box. Inside were a pair of black gloves. You were confused at first, but then he explained. They were to prevent you from scratching yourself and such. They had thermal pads around the fingertips, so you could still use your phone and other touchscreen devices. He also designed the band around the wrist to work like his suit. So when you pressed the softly glowing blue buttons on the sides and pulled out, you had gloves like his suit.

You were in tears and instantly got up and hugged your brother. He always took care of you when you needed him and even when you didn’t know you needed him. This was one of the best and most thoughtful things you had ever received. It was rare to see you without them on. Even to his parties, you didn’t care if people knew. You felt more in control with them on.

And with one wrong move, they were busted.

The team and you were on a mission. Get in, get the files from the computer, and get out. You were part of the team that infiltrated and found the computers. You and Nat went to two different computers and began to try to hack into their systems. Apparently the computer you picked was rigged for intruders. A bolt of electricity went through your hands as soon as you touched the keyboard. You jumped back and landed on your ass, Natasha by your side the instant she noticed.

You were fine, but you looked at your gloves and saw the blue lights weren’t on anymore. Natasha helped you up and you heard guards coming. She went back to the computer because she was faster at hacking than you were, and you pulled your knife from your leg holster and prepared to fight.

Two guards kicked through the door and you began wailing on them. One of them went down stupidly easy. The other was a challenge. While you were fighting, the guard somehow pulled off one of your gloves. You stayed focused, but somehow the thug landed a slice through the palm of your other gloved hand. Wincing, you pulled back, tossed your knife to your other hand, and lunged forward with your good hand that now held your blade. It went right into the man’s torso. He fell to the floor as you pulled out from him and Nat finished downloading the files.

“Alright, I got the files. (Y/N) and I are heading to the jet. She’s injured.” As soon as nat said that, you knew Tony would freak. And his voice was the next to be heard in the comms.

“What happened?! (Y/N)! Are you good?” You sighed, bent down to pick up your glove from the floor, and spoke in the comms, tired and frustrated at yourself.

“I’m fine. Messed up on some one-on-one combat. Cut on my palm and my gloves are toast. I’ll see you back in the jet.” Even if Tony said anything, you ignored it. You needed to focus on your surroundings and getting back to safety.

When you finally did get back and seated in the jet, the rest of the team flocked in quickly behind you and Natasha. Steve was the last one, making sure everyone was accounted for. Tony grabbed the first aid kit and began patching up your palm. When he finishes up, he wraps some bandage around it before looking at your face and wiping some dirt off your cheekbone.

“Hey, (Y/N/N). Where are your gloves? I’m gonna take a look at them and see if I can do anything to fix them.” You hadn’t even thought about your gloves. You were so exhausted that you had zoned out. Reaching into your pocket, you handed Tony the gloves. In doing so, you saw your fingers.

Sure you had seen them when you took off the gloves to wash your hands or shower or really anything dealing with water. But never really looked at them. Thanks to years of picking at your skin, you had some permanent scarring that made your skin crawl. You hated that you did this to yourself. You didn’t want to. You wanted to feel people’s skin when you touched them, but all your felt was the lining of your gloves. But you couldn’t control it. It was almost automatic. Like your brain told you to pick and pick until you start bleeding a little bit, just because. Those gloved were what have literally saved your skin for about a year, and now they were destroyed.

You felt your chest getting constricted. You felt yourself slowly losing control of your hands. Staring off a bit, your fingers began to scratch and pick. It was such a tiny and subtle movement that not many, if anyone, noticed. But one person did: Bucky.

You and Bucky had a very close relationship. He was the first person (other than your brother) that you really connected with when you moved into the tower and joined the Avengers. You both had talked about how you had feelings for one another, but nothing had really happened yet. He was going to get up and try to help calm you down, and then he got an idea.

He went to the first aid kit and pulled out two latex gloves. He had them in his hand as he went and sat next to you. You notice him and tried to look okay. He held out the gloves to you and you looked at him in confusion.

“I heard that your gloves broke, and you’ve been picking for the past five minutes.” You looked down at your fingers and saw that there were little cuts and spots of blood on four digits. You instantly curled your fingers into your palm, refusing to look at Bucky due to embarrassment and more anger towards yourself. It wasn’t until he took one of your hands and helped slide on one latex glove that you looked at him.

“I know these aren’t the best, but a temporary fix is better than making yourself bleed, doll.” He helped get the other glove on and you leaned against his shoulder. He put an arm around you as you slept for a majority of the ride home.

When you all get back to the tower, everyone goes off to their respective spaces. Bucky walks you back to you room. As soon as you both reach your door, you get a message from Tony.

“What’s it say?”

“Tony says that my gloves are completely fried. He is working on a new pair but it will take a few days. Possibly a _week_.” Bucky could see the sort of fear and anxiety in your eyes as you stared at your phone, messaging Tony back.

“I’ll have Banner send up a box or two of those disposable gloves.” Bucky says. You just nod.

“Hey, Buck? I’m just gonna go to bed. I’m tired and just want tonight to be over. I’ll see you tomorrow.” You were really tired. But more than anything, you just wanted to be alone right now. Bucky was obviously a bit worried about you being alone without your gloves.

“Alright. Just let me know if you need help, doll. Sweet dreams.” You walked into this chest and hugged him as he kissed your head before going to his room down the hall.

 

~~~~~~~~

It was only a day after the mission and you were back to where you were a year ago. You spent most of the morning in bed, and then spent the day in your room; watching netflix, writing, cleaning, and picking. Any time you weren’t doing something with your hands or your hands weren’t covered, you mindlessly picked. You scratched and picked so much that now you had bandages around 6 of your fingers. You had also started to pick around some of the cuts that you got from the mission. This was bad, but you didn’t know what to do.

You had skipped breakfast and lunch, not wanting to have anyone see your fingers or deal with seeing your bandages and hating yourself more. Tony had noticed you weren’t at breakfast and asked Friday if you had been out of your room today, to which she told the truth. There were knocks on your door, and when you opened it, you had to hide your hands in your sweatshirt pocket.

“Come on, (Y/N/N). We’re going to eat.” You really didn’t want him or anyone else to see your hands.

“I’m good. I’m full.” You lied. From Tony’s face, he wasn’t having it.

“You’re an awful liar, (Y/N). I know you haven’t eaten or even left your room today. I am making BLTs. Come to the kitchen in five minutes or I will come back and drag you out.” He smiled at the end, but you knew he was serious. You just nodded your head and shut your door as he turned and headed to the kitchen. You slid down against the back of your door to sit. Then you looked at your hands in disgust.

_How the hell am I going to hide these from Tony? He’s my fucking brother. He’s going to notice and give you those sad and worried eyes that always make you feel guilty. You have no gloves. Those latex ones are uncomfortable and don’t fit right. What am I gonna do? What the fuck am I–_

Your thoughts got cut off by another set of knocks against your door. They sounded different from Tony’s. Standing up, you opened the door and saw Bucky. He looked sort of nervous, but mostly worried. You opened the door more for him and walked to sit on your bed, still hiding your hands, knowing he would have just let himself in anyways. Bucky came in and started talking before standing in front of you.

“Hey there, sweetheart. Just wanted to check up on you. Haven’t seen you out and about today.” He noticed you were looking down, hands fidgeting in your pocket. He sat down next to you and slowly and gently pulled your hands out of your pockets. You just let him. You loved him and you knew he would be more soft and understanding than your brother.

He looked and saw all of the bandages on your fingers. You started to explain yourself but he cut you off. “This is actually why I wanted to check up on you. I kind of figured you would do something like this again, and I got an idea.” He pulled his own gloves from his back pocket and held them for a moment.

“I haven’t worn these in awhile since I don’t really go out in public as much as the others, so they’ve just been sitting on my dresser. I thought you could use them.” Your eyes shot to his to see if he was kidding. He wasn’t.

“Buck, I don’t want to take your stuff. Tony should be done with my gloves in a few days and then I will–”

“Tony said he might not have them done for a week.” He held your hand in his before he continued. “If this is the damage you can do after a day, I am terrified about what would happen in a week’s worth of time.”

You felt tears prickle in your eyes. _God damn it, James! You are so wonderful!_

Bucky put his gloves in your hand and closed your fingers around them. “ _Take them. Please._ If anything, you can give them back to me once Tony finishes making yours.” You searched his face again for any sign of a joke, but his warm smile and loving eyes said otherwise.

You couldn’t help but let a tear fall. You were so thankful to have him in your life. He really did love you, even if the two of you hadn’t said the words yet. Bucky reached a hand up to wipe away a tear and rest his palm on your cheek. What you did next, shocked you both.

You leaned forward and kissed him. Not knowing what was going through you, you just fuckin went for it and kissed him. Bucky was taken aback at first, but then melted and wrapped his arms around your waist while yours went to the back of his neck. When you two finally pull apart, you both take a second to catch your breath. Bucky lets out a chuckle that gives you goosebumps.

“Well damn, doll. I was gonna take you out to dinner first.” You laughed with him.

He then took the gloves from your hands and held them out so you could slide your hands in. They weren’t as bulky as you thought they would be. And they were a little bit adjustable around the wrist. As soon as you were comfortable with them, you put a hand on his cheek and leaned in to give him a quick peck.

“Thank you, James. I honestly don’t know how I got lucky enough to be with you.” You both smile and go in for one more kiss, the two of you addicted to the feeling. Bucky pulled away and looked at you.

“Alright, before things get too heated, let’s go get you some food.” As soon as he said that, you remembered about Tony.

“Oh shit. I was supposed to go meet Tony in the kitchen. He is making sandwiches.” Bucky thought for a second and then intertwined his hand with yours.

“Well, let’s go then. I’m sure he would rather hear it from the two of us that we are going steady as opposed to him finding out any other way.” You couldn’t help but be a bit nervous about that future conversation. Bucky gave your hand a small squeeze and added, “I’ll be a good boy. A gentleman. And I’ll take all of Tony’s threats and warnings and anything else he throws at me. I promise.”

You couldn’t help but smile. You give him another peck on the lips before standing up and walking out with him. Your hand in his, feeling beyond perfect.


End file.
